Herbert Shelton's separate power supply systems. Incompatible products according to Shelton's theory of separate nutrition. Sour fruits, tomatoes

Nutritionists have been arguing about the benefits and harms for many years. separate power supply. There is no single answer about the features and disadvantages to this day.

One of the methods of separate nutrition was developed by Dr. Herbert Shelton. The essence of the theory is the separation of food into carbohydrate and protein, which leads to improved digestion and solving problems with the pancreas and intestines.

All the pros and cons of separate meals

Such a diet has its supporters and opponents in the form of doctors. Doctors warn that as a result of such a diet, a lack of vitamins and iron may occur in the body, and metabolic failure may occur, especially in older people and children. When eating separately, a person initially feels constantly hungry and does not receive pleasure from food. A person’s thoughts are constantly busy compiling a list of dishes for his diet.

There are still advantages to separate nutrition: chronic symptoms disappear, the functioning of the digestive system is normalized, and body weight decreases. Therefore, each person determines the need for such a nutrition system for himself.

The main idea of ​​the concept of separate nutrition is varied diet throughout the day, but at least one meal. According to Shelton, a variety of foods at one meal negatively affects the human digestive system.

The main points of separate nutrition according to Shelton

It is necessary to eat only when you have an acute feeling of hunger. Food should not be washed down with water, it must be chewed diligently, and the temperature of the food should not exceed 18-20 degrees. The interval between meals should be at least four hours. You need to rest before and after eating. The menu for separate meals should contain at least fifty percent raw food every day. plant food. Berries and fruits should not be consumed as an addition to desserts, only as separate products. You can't eat before physical work or work, with high mental or nervous tension. When eating separately, it is recommended to eat nuts, as they contain great amount squirrel. Nuts and green leaves will provide the body with protein, various vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

It is advisable to exclude from the diet:

  • mayonnaise and ketchup,
  • sugar,
  • canned food,
  • coffee,
  • salted and smoked products.

The main principle of separate nutrition is the combination of products into groups. For this purpose, Shelton developed a special list of food combinations. According to the theory, foods are divided into fats, carbohydrates and proteins. The division is relative, since many products can consist of three of these components at once. The combination of products occurs according to the predominant component. By adhering to this list, you can easily create a menu for every day, the main thing is to follow the basic principles.

Separate power principle

Firstly, this concerns proteins. One type of protein can be consumed at a time. Fats, carbohydrates and sour fruits are prohibited from being eaten with proteins. In this regard, it is prohibited, for example, the consumption of fish and meat, butter and cheese, meat with tomatoes, fish with bread.

There is a ban on combining sour and sweet foods. It is better to consume acidic foods separately from fatty foods and preferably 20 minutes before the main meal.

It is better not to combine sweet foods with starches. It is better not to eat more than two types of sweet foods at one time. It is better to avoid desserts altogether or eat them with greens. Ice cream is completely contraindicated.

Milk should be a separate dish. It is better to drink it half an hour after sour food.

Cheeses and buns with raisins are also contraindicated for consumption.

Also, for all products, it is preferable to consume them at a certain time of day.

Quite suitable for this method big list products. Nutrition can be very varied, the main thing is to learn how to taste it and combine foods wisely.

Sample table of separate meals menu for several days

  1. Breakfast - no sweet tea, rye porridge with skim milk
    Afternoon snack - fruit of your choice
    Lunch - stewed vegetables, boiled veal, salad (which contains no more than four types of raw vegetables. It is advisable not to add salt, vegetable oil and various seasonings to the salad).
    Snack - a handful of nuts
    Dinner - with cheese, cooked in the oven
  2. Breakfast - Orange juice+ half a glass of water, barley porridge with water or skim milk, wholemeal bread toast
    Afternoon snack - apple
    Lunch - boiled squid, stewed eggplant and a little cheese
    Snack - three prunes
    Dinner - fried eggs with tomatoes, vegetables.

It's never too late to start eating separately; you can start with one day a week and gradually get used to this way of eating. The result will be noticeable in about three months. And most importantly, to maintain a figure and health using the concept of separate nutrition is constant adherence to all principles and rules.

Basic principles and goals of the system

American naturopath Herbert Shelton founded in 1939. "Health School", in which important was given to nutrition - specific vegetarian and separate in combination with “physiological cleansing and rest” - fasting.

In his books “The Right Combination food products", "Fasting can save your life" and "The Hygiene System" he outlined his views on healthy image life and proper nutrition. Shelton believed that his food system had therapeutic actions, and proposed it to combat many diseases. The basic principle put forward by G. Shelton is “ different food V different techniques».

For organization proper nutrition he identified seven food groups depending on the predominance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, starch, sugar and acids. Based on the rules of healthy eating he developed, Shelton developed a system of compatibility of foods with each other and recommendations for creating a diet.

Modern science of nutrition refutes many of the provisions of G. Shelton’s system, even considering strict adherence to separate nutrition harmful. Studies have shown that with such a diet, the digestion of proteins and carbohydrates is worse than with regular food, and it is suppressed. intestinal microflora, there are problems with the glands internal secretion, primarily from the pancreas. Outdated ideas about the processes occurring in digestive tract. However, G. Shelton’s system in modified versions continues to be included in various diets and power systems.

1. Eat a simple diet of few types of foods.

If a person eats only one type of food at one time, then he will eat less than if he eats a variety of foods from many foods. Variety leads to gluttony and overeating, since several dishes from different products stimulate taste sensations and appetite. Too many foods at one time complicates and complicates the digestion process. Simple food is digested better and with minimal stress on the digestive organs.

2. Start your daily meal with juicy fruits and berries.

It is recommended to eat fruits and berries in their natural, raw form and whole. Fresh fruits and berries are better than dried ones, but canned ones are practically useless. It is recommended to eat fruits and berries at one time with a small variety of them - no more than three types.

3. Eat at least one large serving of raw vegetable salad (no more than four types) per day.

4. Consume nuts as your main source of protein. They are able to meet human protein needs and replace sources of animal protein - meat, fish, milk and dairy products, eggs.

5. Consume fats in moderation.

6. Cook foods very briefly.

7. Limit or eliminate grain products. They do not apply to natural nutrition a person and are not necessary and beneficial for his life and health. Therefore, it is best to completely remove grains from your diet. It is permissible, as an exception, to eat cereal grains of milky-waxy ripeness, sprouted grains, in particular wheat, dry whole grains cereals, but not in the form of porridges. All of them should only be a small part diet, and can only be eaten with big amount fresh fruits and green vegetables and in the right combinations - according to the rules of separate nutrition.

8. Eliminate sugar and other industrial products (fine flour, polished rice, pasteurized milk, canned food, concentrates).

9. Eliminate mushrooms and some fruits, berries (gooseberries) and vegetables (rhubarb, beets).

10. Eliminate the consumption of salt, herbs, spices, seasonings.

11. Drink only clean water.

12. Follow your meal schedule. Morning and daytime appointments Meals should be light and small, the main meal should be eaten in the evening.

Basic rules for separate meals

1. Eat sour and starchy foods at different times. This is due to the fact that sour food neutralizes the effect of amylase, which breaks down starch.

2. Eat proteins and acidic foods in different time. Eating acidic foods (fruits, berries) reduces the production of pepsin, which is necessary for the digestion of proteins.

3. Eat fats and proteins at different times. Fats suppress the secretion of gastric juice.

4. Eat proteins and sugars at different times. Sugars inhibit motor and secretory function stomach.

5. Eat protein and starchy foods at different times. They require different acidity of gastric juice and therefore interfere with each other’s digestion.

6. Eat only one concentrated protein meal at a time. Different proteins require various changes gastric secretion according to the time of secretion and the composition of the juice.

7. Eat starches and sugars at different times. They are digested into different departments digestive tract and interfere with each other.

8. Eat only one type of starch per meal. Overeating starch causes fermentation processes in the stomach.

9. Consume milk separately from other types of food or avoid it altogether. Milk is intended for young mammals, causing digestive disorders in adults.

10. Eat melons and watermelons separately from other foods. They are not digested in the stomach and quickly leave it, but when combined with other products, stagnation occurs in the stomach.

11. Avoid desserts. They are absolutely useless and interfere with the normal digestion of other foods.

Classification of food products according to G. Shelton

1. Protein products - lean meat, fish, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, soybeans, olives, peanuts, most types of nuts.

2. Carbohydrate foods- grain products, mature legumes, potatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, cauliflower, beets, carrots, rutabaga, sugar, sweets, honey, jams and preserves, syrups, bananas, dates, figs, persimmons, sweet grapes, raisins, prunes.

3. Fat products- cow butter, lard and other animal fats, vegetable oils, fatty meat and fish, cream, sour cream, some nuts.

4. Sour fruits and vegetables - lemons, oranges, grapefruit, pineapples, pomegranates, sour apples, peaches, plums, tomatoes.

5. Semi-acidic fruits - pears, apricots, mangoes, fresh figs, sweet apples, plums, peaches, cherries.

6. Non-starchy and green vegetables - onions, green peas, cucumbers, turnips, radishes, eggplants, Bell pepper, sorrel, spinach, lettuce, garlic, parsley, celery, tops of garden plants.

7. Watermelons and melons.

Compatibility separate groups products with each other

Meat and fish - combined with non-starchy green vegetables, not combined with protein, sugar, starchy and fatty foods, sour fruits and vegetables, milk.

Eggs - go well with green vegetables, but do not go well with protein, starchy, sugary and sour foods.

Cheese and cottage cheese are combined with green vegetables and not combined with protein, starchy, sugary and fatty foods, and sour fruits.

Milk - goes only with sour fruits.

Cereal products - combined with green vegetables, animals or vegetable fats, not combined

Nutrients and products Milk Squirrels Starches Fats Fermented milk Boiled green vegetables Raw

green vegetables

Sour Semi-acid Sweet and dry fruits
Squirrels P P P P P X X With P P
Starches P P X X P X X P ABOUT WITH
Fats ABOUT P X X ABOUT X X X X X
Milk P P X WITH WITH ABOUT ABOUT ABOUT
Fermented milk P P X WITH WITH O ABOUT ABOUT
Green vegetables, raw and cooked WITH X X X WITH X X With ABOUT WITH
Semi-acid ABOUT P P X ABOUT WITH WITH X X X
fruits X
Sour ABOUT P P X ABOUT ABOUT ABOUT ABOUT X X
Sweet WITH With With X ABOUT With WITH With X
and dry fruits

Legend: O - excellent combinations acceptable for normal digestion; X- good combinations with weak digestion; C - should not be used until digestion reaches a normal state; P is a bad combination and should not be used even with normal digestion.

eaten with protein and sugary foods, fruits, acidic foods and milk.

Legumes (except legumes) - are combined with green vegetables, not combined with protein, sugar and fatty foods, fruits and milk.

Fats - combined with grain products and green vegetables, not combined with protein products.

Sour fruits and berries - go well with nuts, milk, but do not go well with protein, starchy and sugary foods.

Other fruits and berries - are combined with fermented milk products, but are not combined with protein and starchy foods, sour fruits and milk.

Nuts - go with green vegetables, sour fruits, do not go with protein, starchy, fatty and sugary foods, milk.

Green vegetables - combined with protein, starchy, fatty foods, not combined with milk, fermented milk drinks, sweet fruits.

Melons and watermelons - do not go well with anything, with the exception of some sweet and semi-sour fruits and berries.

Sample menu for one day of separate meals according to G. Shelton:

Option 1:

1st breakfast - any fruit in season, but no more than three types at one time.

It is advisable to have a breakfast of sour fruits one day and sweet fruits the next day. During the winter months fresh fruits can be replaced with dry ones (only sun-dried) - raisins, dried apricots, prunes, etc., but the ideal breakfast in winter is fresh fruit.

2nd breakfast - vegetable salad (without tomatoes), one boiled green vegetable and starchy product.

Lunch (dinner) - a large salad of raw vegetables, two boiled non-starchy vegetables and a protein product. If the latter is represented by nuts or cottage cheese, then tomatoes can be included in the salad.

Option 2:

1st breakfast - choice of: 1) oranges; 2) grapes, apple; 3) soaked prunes, apple or pear; 4) pears, several dried fruits or figs; 5) watermelon or melon.

2nd breakfast - choice of: 1) vegetable salad, carrots, beets, spinach; 2) vegetable salad, a cup of raw cereal grains; 3) vegetable salad, green pea, carrot; 4) salad of sour fruits and 100 g of peeled nuts; 5) vegetable salad and cottage cheese.

Lunch (dinner) - choice of: 1) vegetable salad, spinach, nuts; 2) raw fruit salad; apples, nuts; 3) vegetable salad, radishes with tops, nuts; 4) salad of sour fruits and 100 g of cottage cheese.

Option 3:

1st breakfast - choice of: 1) melon; 2) grapes, pear, several dates; 3) orange, grapefruit; 4) apple, dates or prunes.

2nd breakfast - choice: 1) green salad, cucumber and celery, spinach (steamed), baked potatoes; 2) green salad, radish, green pepper, cauliflower baked carrots (steamed); 3) green salad, cabbage, cucumbers, beets with tops, a piece of bread from whole wheat; 4) green salad, spinach (steamed), baked potato, a piece of bread with butter.

What and how to eat for weight loss? This question worries everyone more people, as the activity of earthlings decreases. A number of nutritionists offer a method of separate nutrition for obesity. Although people first learned about the diet at the beginning of the last century, it is still popular today.

The essence of separate nutrition


The founders of the direction were W. G. Hay and G. Shelton. The theory of separate nutrition is based on the idea of ​​compatibility and incompatibility of products, which are divided into three large groups - proteins, carbohydrates, fats.

The principles of such diets are as follows. Proteins and carbohydrates are not consumed at the same time, since it is believed that the former require an acidic environment to process, while the latter require an alkaline environment. It takes different amounts of time to digest foods: 30 minutes is enough for fruits; the body spends several hours digesting meat.

Proponents of separate nutrition believe that when protein and carbohydrate foods are consumed simultaneously, part of it does not have time to be digested and remains in the intestines. This triggers the mechanism of decay, intoxication occurs, waste accumulates, and the process of full absorption of vitamins and minerals is disrupted. This is how a person gains extra pounds. To compose correct menu, a product compatibility table has been created.

Although Herbert Shelton and William Hay became ideologists of separate nutrition, they proposed different approaches to diet planning. But both are used for weight loss.

Diet principles according to Herbert Shelton


The book Proper Food Combinations was published in the 1920s. In it, Herbert Shelton first proposed separating foods according to their composition. The main message of the book is that the simpler the food, the more beneficial it is for the body.

G. Shelton divides products into groups:

  • plant and animal proteins - lean meat and fish, eggs, lean dairy products, nuts, mushrooms, legumes;
  • carbohydrates - potatoes, grains, sugar;
  • fats - butter, full-fat sour cream, cheese;
  • starchy vegetables - cauliflower, carrots, beets, pumpkin, corn, Jerusalem artichoke, radish;
  • non-starchy and green vegetables - cucumbers, onions, asparagus, bell pepper, green beans, zucchini, spinach;
  • sour fruits - citrus fruits, pineapples, pomegranates;
  • sweet fruits.

The nutritionist has identified a group of foods that are not compatible with anything. This includes melon and watermelon. Shelton believed that these melons contain a lot of sugar, which provokes fermentation when combined with any other products. Milk falls into this group. According to the author, it coagulates in the stomach due to the juice produced. And if milk gets into digestive organ with other food, it coats the walls of the stomach and makes digestion difficult, causing the food to rot.

Sweets are removed from the diet due to the risk of fermentation. An exception is made only for natural honey, which has already been processed in the body of bees and is complex carbohydrate, that is, it is absorbed more slowly than sugar and is included in diets for weight loss.

Product compatibility table according to G. Shelton

Product group Optimal combinations
Cereals, legumes Vegetables - starchy (but not potatoes), non-starchy, green vegetables, fats
Sour fruits, tomatoes Cow and vegetable oil, sour cream, nuts, non-starchy, green leafy vegetables, cheese, feta cheese
Starchy vegetables (not potatoes) Cottage cheese, products from sour milk, nuts, cheeses, bread, cereals, potatoes, butter - butter, vegetable, legumes, vegetables - non-starchy and green
Vegetable oil Grains and legumes, breads, cereals, starchy, non-starchy and green leafy vegetables, nuts, acidic fruits, tomatoes
Cow butter Cereals, bread, tomatoes, sour fruits, starchy, non-starchy, green leafy vegetables, cottage cheese, sour milk products
Lean protein Green and non-starchy vegetables
Bread, cereals, potatoes, meat, fish, poultry, offal, grains and legumes, butter - cow's, vegetable, sour cream, nuts, eggs, cheeses, all kinds of fruits, tomatoes
Nuts Vegetable oil, sour fruits, tomatoes, vegetables - starchy (not potatoes), non-starchy, green leafy, cottage cheese and fermented milk products
Sweet and dried fruits Non-starchy, green leafy vegetables, cottage cheese, dairy products
Sour cream Cereals, legumes, bread, potatoes, sour fruits, tomatoes, starchy, non-starchy, green leafy vegetables, cottage cheese, fermented milk products
Cheese, feta cheese Cottage cheese, sour milk products, vegetables - green, non-starchy, starchy (not potatoes), sour fruits, tomatoes,
Cottage cheese, fermented milk group Vegetables (but not potatoes), sweet fruits - fresh and dried, fats, nuts
Bread, cereals, potatoes Cow and vegetable oil, vegetables - starchy, non-starchy, green leafy
Eggs Non-starchy, green vegetables

Rules from G. Shelton

The diet prohibits the following combinations:

  • several concentrated proteins;
  • two or more concentrated starches;
  • fats with proteins;
  • sour fruits with proteins;
  • concentrated protein and concentrated carbohydrate;
  • starches with sugar;
  • carbohydrate and acidic foods.

Diet principles according to William Hay


A slightly different approach to compiling healthy menu William Hay suggested. He suggests taking products as a basis plant origin, which is useful for losing weight. Vegetables, fruits, salads in the diet should be at least 50% of the total daily portion. Refined foods are not consumed. An interval of 4–5 hours is maintained between meals.

The nutritionist divided the products into the following groups:

  • food rich in plant and animal proteins - eggs, meat, offal, fish, legumes, nuts, etc.;
  • food with a predominant content of carbohydrates - baked goods, bread, pasta, sugar, potatoes;
  • neutral food - fats, sour cream, cheese (fat content from 45%), fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, herbs.

Proteins and carbohydrates are not eaten at the same time. Products from the neutral group are compatible with both proteins and carbohydrates.

  • breakfast: fruit, cheese, sour cream, bran bread, butter, cottage cheese;
  • lunch: it is advisable to eat protein foods, meat and fish - without a carbohydrate side dish, but with vegetables from a neutral group, as well as fruits, vegetable soup;
  • dinner: carbohydrate foods that are quickly digested are recommended - dishes from potatoes, carrots, sweet fruits.

Going on a diet


Before switching to separate meals for weight loss or health improvement, it is recommended unloading menu for 2–3 days. Below are two examples of such a diet for the transition period.

Fruit menu

  • From morning to 15.00 - any raw fruit, but not bananas.
  • After 17.00 - two medium bananas, two potatoes “in their jackets” (do not add salt to the dish).

Vegetable menu

During the day they eat slightly stewed or raw vegetables- alone or in the form of salads. No seasonings or sauces are added. A cup of weak vegetable broth is allowed.

Diet of B. Chrobat and M. Polanshek for 90 days

This is one of the variations on the theme of separate nutrition. The diet, according to the creators, is useful for people who are concerned about losing weight; it allows you to get rid of 25 kg per course excess weight. The peculiarity of the diet is that it is somewhat poor, but allows the consumption of sweets.

A 90-day weight loss course is formed from four-day cycles:

  1. Protein Day: eat meat and dairy products, a slice of bread is allowed.
  2. Day of starches: eat vegetables, root vegetables, cereals, beans.
  3. Carbohydrate day: baked goods, desserts, chocolate are allowed.
  4. Vitamin Day: the menu includes fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables.

Every 29 days monthly cycle declared fasting, no food, drink only non-carbonated mineral water. The weight loss course is calculated so that the fasting day is between vitamin and protein (in that order).

Eating regimen is important:

  • daytime and evening meals are planned between 12.00 and 20.00;
  • the portion of food for lunch is twice as large as for dinner;
  • fruits are eaten in the morning, as well as in the intervals between breakfast, lunch and dinner;
  • juices (only freshly prepared) are counted as a separate meal (usually a snack).

Advantages of the technique

The separate feeding technique has its advantages.

  1. No fermentation or rotting occurs.
  2. Weight is normalized, the effect is maintained when following a diet (with the exception of the 90-day course).
  3. The diet can be recommended for certain diseases of the stomach and intestines, heart and blood vessels, as it reduces the load on the body.
  4. The menu remains varied and complete.
  5. To lose weight, it is not necessary to reduce the number of calories, since the technique itself triggers the mechanism of natural weight loss.
  6. Doesn't get lost muscle mass, because the diet contains all the substances necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

Disadvantages of separate power supply

Over the hundred years of existence of the technique, the issue has been carefully studied by doctors. Therefore, there are many critics of the idea of ​​separate meals.

One of the main cautions is related to the possible deterioration in the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

The main argument used by opponents is the unnaturalness of the system, as a result of which the normal digestion inherent in nature is disrupted.

As centuries of experience have shown medical practice, gastrointestinal tract humans have adapted to process a variety of foods at the same time. If you introduce constant strict separation of food, as suggested by W. Hay and G. Shelton, then the body will eventually learn to digest only individual foods, and not culinary dishes. After switching to a regular diet, digestion may be disrupted, constipation or diarrhea may occur.

Healthy nutrition experts also note that there are few mono-foods in nature that contain only protein, fat or carbohydrates. Therefore, the technique exists in theory, but it is impossible to implement it in practice, and separate nutrition cannot be taken as a basis healthy diet for weight loss.

If you have chronic diseases, decide to switch to a diet without medical consultation dangerous for health. If the condition worsens, you should immediately seek medical help.

You may also be interested

This means eating only foods that are compatible with each other.

Herbert Shelton is a well-known nutritionist in the USA who treated people using fasting in his clinic. Many years of experience allowed Shelton to develop own program nutrition, which is radically different from all known diets and allows you to quickly return your weight to normal and prevent the development of many diseases. Shelton even wrote a book where he talks in detail about the developed technique.

The essence of the Shelton method of separate nutrition

Eating according to Shelton means eating only foods that are compatible with each other.

As an American nutritionist suggests, All food products are digested differently and everyone needs their own habitat. For example, for the rapid absorption of carbohydrates it is necessary alkaline environment, which is in duodenum. And for the absorption of proteins, an acidic environment is required, which predominates in the stomach.

When these two elements are compatible, there is a strong load on the body, as a result of which food is difficult and takes a long time to digest. It does not have time to quickly digest and be absorbed into the walls of organs, resulting in a process of rotting and fermentation, which is not very good for the body.

Rotten food begins to release harmful toxic substances that contribute to the deterioration of all internal organs and systems, and also lead to a slowdown in metabolism.

All this adversely affects body weight and provokes the development of various diseases.

You cannot combine meat or fish products with side dishes, and you must also avoid sandwiches and confectionery, which include simple carbohydrates, promoting the growth of fatty tissue.

Shelton's power system is very complex and requires deep dive into it to understand its essence. However, it was precisely such a difficult scheme that led to the achievement of quick results and recognition among the population.

Positive and negative aspects of separate power supply

As you know, every medal has two sides. The Shelton nutrition system is no exception. It also has two sides - positive and negative.

Undoubtedly positive quality of this power system is general health improvement body, which is achieved by getting rid of extra pounds and harmful substances. No fermentation, no toxins! And this leads to restoration of the functioning of all internal organs and systems.

On the negative side, then everything is much more complicated here, since problems most likely arise at the psychological level. Shelton's nutrition system is very complex and involves giving up many foods. Moreover, it is not just a diet that must be followed for a certain period of time. It is a way of life that must be followed throughout life. Therefore, many cannot completely switch to this system food, because they cannot control their desires.

Separate nutrition tables according to Shelton

Shelton's Basics of Proper Nutrition:

  • you cannot combine sour and sweet varieties of fruits and vegetables in one meal;
  • You cannot combine protein foods with sour fruits in one meal;
  • you cannot combine starchy foods with protein foods in one meal;
  • you can’t combine fats and carbohydrates;
  • You cannot combine protein products with each other, etc.

The essence of the theory of separate nutrition

The theory of separate nutrition is that certain foods should not be consumed at the same time. Combining them during the same meal causes adverse symptoms in some people: mild nausea, bloating, heartburn, diarrhea.

Almost a thousand years ago, Avicenna wrote in the “Canon of Medical Science”: “The mixing of different foods has various influences... you should not eat fish with milk ... sour milk with radishes or with poultry meat.”
However, these recommendations are not entirely accurate. These combinations of foods can cause illness in a person with food allergies who cannot tolerate milk or fish or both. At chronic diseases intestines (eg chronic enteritis) this combination can also cause an exacerbation, usually short-term.
When it comes to digestion, it is necessary to take into account the enormous reserve capacity of the digestive system. It is capable of digesting, and at the same time, a wide variety of foods, their various combinations. As for the so-called unfavorable combinations, they harmful effects sharply exaggerated by some authors. Overeating, which is now so common, causes much more harm.
Excessive food load can cause disturbances in the functioning of the digestive organs and the condition of the body as a whole, and this is accompanied by painful phenomena. They are especially noticeable in those who suffer from diseases of the digestive system. However, the above also applies to practically healthy people. It is overeating that often causes painful phenomena that one person or another, and sometimes even the author of a fashionable theory of nutrition, classifies as “evidence of food incompatibility.”
It should be noted that, for example, rich fatty foods in combination with sweets can cause intestinal upset, especially in people predisposed to this, since both fats and sweets stimulate peristalsis. Combining vegetables with milk can also cause intestinal upset. However, the same can be observed when separate admission food.
So, everything depends not on combinations of products, as such, but on the amount eaten and the tolerance of a particular product by a particular person. There are people who completely cannot tolerate milk due to enzyme (lactase) deficiency or due to food allergies. Naturally, the combination of any product with milk is harmful for them.
The theory of separate power supply is not serious scientific justification and cannot be generalized to healthy people. Nevertheless, the famous American scientist Herbert Shelton in his book “The Right Combination of Foods” defends the theory of separate nutrition.
Herbert Shelton refers to the animal world, in which, in his opinion, separate nutrition predominates. He writes: “Animals eat simply and make few combinations. Of course, a carnivorous animal does not consume carbohydrates with proteins. It does not take acids with proteins. A deer grazing in the forest combines its food very little. A nut-munching squirrel eats only nuts and does not take any other food with them. Birds have been observed to eat insects at one time of day and grain at another. Not a single animal in natural conditions does not have before him such a variety of different foods as a civilized person. Primitive man did not have such a wide variety of food at one time. He ate simply like an animal.”
We will leave it to you, dear reader, to judge how legitimate it is to compare human nutrition with the nutrition of squirrels and birds, whether primitive man really cared about eating meat separately from the fruits and berries of the forest. However, biologists should also have their say on this issue... All this requires special scientific research.
We read further from Shelton: “ Digestive enzymes The human digestive tract has certain clear limits. And when we eat beyond these limits, digestive complications occur. Proper food combinations are the only sensible way to respect our enzymatic limitations."
The question arises whether he is getting carried away author The theme he develops is whether the “only” way to promote optimal digestion is through the right combination of foods. It is probably more correct to consider this problem from the perspective of the theory of balanced and the theory of adequate nutrition, to the development of which domestic scientists made a great contribution.
In our opinion, all nutritional issues cannot be reduced solely to food combinations. It is necessary to take into account not only the biochemical processes in the digestive tract, but also the most difficult questions physiology of digestion. The metabolic characteristics of a particular person, his state of health, appetite, and the presence of certain taste habits are very important. Again, all this is subject to careful study using the latest methodological tools available to scientists specializing in the development of digestive issues.
According to Shelton, foods such as meat and bread are incompatible. He writes: “If bread and meat are eaten together, then instead of the almost neutral gastric juice secreted in the stomach in the first two hours of digestion, a highly acidic juice will immediately be secreted, and the digestion of starch will stop.”
Are meat and bread really incompatible? This unexpected conclusion from Shelton is difficult to accept. Is it possible to cross out the traditions of the population of many regions? meat products with bread, which best satisfies both taste needs and promotes a long-term feeling of fullness.
Another quote from Shelton's book: “Eggs receive the most potent secretion at one time, and meat or milk at another. Therefore, it is logical to believe that eggs should not be taken with meat or milk.”
Again, it is legitimate, in our opinion, to enter into a discussion with Shelton. Is it possible to reduce all the most complex system digestion solely to the effect of food on the secretion of gastric juice? Let us turn to the theory of adequate nutrition, which considers digestion much more broadly and multifaceted. What will physiologists, gastroenterologists, and culinary nutrition specialists say about this?
We hope that specialist physiologists and gastroenterologists will have their say, but we will give the floor to culinary specialists now.
The recipes below for dishes from the cuisines of various peoples of the world combine the most seemingly incompatible products. A lot depends on national traditions and eating habits. Note that what is natural to us may seem strange to others. National traditions, as a rule, have a reasonable basis, based on the centuries-old experience of generations.
Thus, Finnish dishes simultaneously contain lamb, beef, veal, river and sea ​​fish, milk. Connoisseurs say that the taste of the dishes is excellent. The combination of meat and fish is widely used in Chinese cuisine. The roast platter, for example, includes chicken and pike perch fillets, clams, shrimp and lard. In Estonian cuisine, the combination of fish and milk is common, sometimes lard is added to them. Uzbeks love cold sour milk soup with fresh vegetables. The festive Kazakh dish includes meat, liver, milk and dairy products, cereals and vegetables.

Here are a few recipes for such unusual dishes related to separate meals

Milk-fish soup (Estonian cuisine)
Boil the fish in boiling water for no more than 10 minutes, then remove and place in the broth potato, finely chopped onion and parsley. Add salt and cook for another 10-15 minutes, pour in the milk, having previously diluted the flour in it, and continue cooking, stirring, until the potatoes are ready. Place the previously removed fish fillet, add dill and oil, heat a little more, remove from heat, close with a lid and let stand for 3-5 minutes.
1.25 l water, 1 l milk, 1-1.5 kg cod fillet, 3-4 potatoes, 1 onion, 2 tbsp. spoons of butter, 1 tbsp. spoon of flour and finely chopped dill, 1 parsley root.

Chalop (Uzbek cuisine)
Dilute sour milk with chilled boiled water, season with salt and pepper, finely chopped vegetables and herbs. Chill in the refrigerator or add ice cubes before serving.
1.5 liters of sour milk, 2 liters of water, 2 cucumbers, 10-12 radishes, half a glass of green onions (finely chopped), 3 tbsp. spoons of cilantro, 2 tbsp. tablespoons dill, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt.

Fish stewed in milk (Finnish cuisine)
Wash the fish, cut into finger-thick slices, add salt, place in a greased frying pan, pour in milk, sprinkle with parsley and dill.
750 g of peeled fish, 0.25 l of milk, 75 g of butter, salt.

Kalekukko (Finnish cuisine)
Knead the dough from flour and water with the addition of butter and salt and put it in the cold. Cut the fish fillet into small pieces. Cut the bacon into cubes, fry with coarsely chopped onion, pass through a meat grinder and combine with the fish. Mix the minced meat with cream, salt and pepper. Roll out the dough into a rectangular layer, put minced meat on one half, cover with the other half, pinch the edges, brush with beaten egg and bake over low heat. Cut the finished pie into portions and pour over heated oil.
250 g rye flour, 200 g wheat flour, 60 g butter, 800 g sea bass or hake fillet, 200 g pork lard, 2 onions, 100 g cream, egg, pepper, salt.

Let us turn again to Shelton: “Lemon juice or other acid used in salads or added to quality seasonings, as well as those eaten with protein foods, seriously interfere with secretion of hydrochloric acid and thus interfere with the digestion of proteins.”
In other words, Shelton advises eating protein foods and foods containing organic acids and spices (vinegar, lemon juice, various seasonings with citric acid, mayonnaise), at different times, that is, separately. I have not seen experimental or clinical evidence that the combination of mayonnaise, seasonings with acetic acid or lemon juice with meat or fish dishes“disturbs the digestion of proteins.”
However, patients with gastritis peptic ulcer in the acute stage, we do not recommend including in the diet acetic acid and “hot” spices due to their possible irritant effects on the inflamed gastric mucosa.
Shelton believes: “When protein foods are eaten, fat should not be in the same food. We are talking about products such as cream, butter, various types of oils, and gravy. In this regard, it should be noted that those foods that usually contain “internal” fat (nuts, cheese, milk) require a longer time to digest than protein products that do not contain fat...” From this premise, Shelton comes to conclusion: “Our rule is: eat fats and proteins at different times.” In the presence of fats, the digestion of protein foods of all types slows down, according to at least, for 2 hours, Shelton notes. But excuse me, why should we transfer the bustle and haste of our lives to digestion? Protein food can take longer to digest, and this has physiological expediency; fried fatty meat or meat fried in one or another oil or fat is eaten with increased appetite, provides long-lasting satiety when it comes to nutrition healthy person. For patients with cholecystitis or gastritis, the attending physician will recommend abstaining from both fatty foods, and from everything fried and include boiled foods in your diet.
Let us give one more thought from Shelton’s work “The Correct Combination of Foods”: “All sugars - syrups, sweet fruits, honey - have an inhibitory effect on the secretion of gastric juice and on the motility of the stomach. Eating cake before eating spoils your appetite. Sugars used with proteins delay the digestion of proteins. Sugars are not digested in the mouth or stomach. They are absorbed in the intestines. If they are eaten separately, they do not stay in the stomach for a long time, but quickly pass into the intestines. But when they are eaten with other foods, proteins or starches, they linger in the stomach for a long time. While waiting for the protein and starch to be completely digested, they undergo fermentation. Based on these simple facts, our rule is: eat sugars and proteins at different times."
We cannot agree with this position. Let us give just one argument. If you take honey immediately before meals, it can promote the secretion of gastric juice. It is recommended to drink a cold solution of honey (1 tablespoon per glass of water).
Another quote from Herbert Shelton’s book: “The best combinations with protein foods of all kinds are non-starchy foods and juicy vegetables: spinach, cabbage, beet tops, mustard tops, turnip tops, cabbage, asparagus, fresh green beans, Brussels sprouts, all fresh tender varieties of zucchini and pumpkins, onions, celery, cucumbers, radishes, sorrel, parsley, chicory, dandelion , kale, canola and other non-starchy foods. The following vegetables make a poor combination with proteins: beets, turnips, pumpkin, carrots, cauliflower, rutabaga, beans, peas, artichokes, potatoes. Being somewhat starchy, they make the best addition to starchy foods."
All nutritionists without exception say that it is necessary to include a variety of vegetables in the diet as often as possible. What is better to combine meat dishes with: turnip tops or potatoes - this is, first of all, a matter of taste. I prefer potatoes, beets, cauliflower, cucumbers, and zucchini. At the same time, I completely agree with Shelton that the more varied the vegetable menu, the meat dishes, the better for digestion and health benefits.
Is it necessary to separate products, taking into account the fact that nature itself is the majority natural products created initially mixed in its own way chemical composition? Re-read the chapter “Food Composition”, check out the tables nutritional value products. Remember that, for example, meat contains proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. The same potatoes contain not only starch, but also proteins...
According to the theory of adequate nutrition by A. M. Ugolev, critical processes digestion. The intestinal microflora contributes to the formation of biologically necessary for the body active substances and their inclusion in the general exchange. So, I do not see convincing evidence in Herbert Shelton's book indicating that in our everyday nutrition We must first of all take care of the “right combination” of foods. However, it is necessary to take into account the tolerance of a particular person to both individual food products and their combinations.
In our opinion, there will be no harm from Shelton’s nutritional system, provided that the food throughout the day is varied and tasty, and includes all the nutrients necessary for life.